Tinnitus

• Topics


  • Tinnitus
  • Hyperacusis
  • Misophonia
• Tinnitus


  The perception of sound without an external source
• Tinnitus


  Abnormal neural activity that may originate in the ear but more than likely occurs in the brain
• More than 50 million Americans experience tinnitus at some point
• 20 million of these experience some sort of burden from the tinnitus
• Prevalence of tinnitus increases with age
• Highest prevalence of tinnitus in males, non-Hispanic whites, higher BMI, or those with a diagnosis of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia or anxiety disorder
• Higher prevalence of tinnitus in the veteran population
• Effects of tinnitus on quality of life

  • Thoughts and emotions (depression and anxiety)
  • Hearing (impaired speech understanding)
  • Sleep disturbance (results in frustration)
  • Impaired concentration (invades work and social life)
• Primary tinnitus


  • Cause is idiopathic, may or may not be associated with sensorineural hearing loss
  • Treatment has no cure, but includes education, counseling, CBT, hearing aids, sound therapy, dietary changes
• Secondary tinnitus


  • Cause is associated with a specific underlying condition other than SNHL, such as vestibular schwannoma, cardiovascular illness, ototoxic medications, Meniere's disease
  • Treatment addresses the medical condition, and includes education, counseling, CBT, hearing aid use, sound therapy
• Tinnitus sound therapy


  Addresses decreased sound tolerance
• Hyperacusis


  Increased sensitivity to certain frequencies at increased loudness levels, often associated with tinnitus, can exhibit as a startle response to common environmental sounds, patients may wear hearing protection
• Hyperacusis treatment


  Audiologic rehabilitation and desensitization
• Misophonia


  Soft Sound Sensitivity Syndrome, a negative reaction to sounds with specific patterns or meanings, most often for persons with normal hearing, mitigation includes avoiding trigger situations